Switching from Enamel...

[Seafire]

Well, I'm just really started to get into armor modeling as I've began to discover weathering techniques and I really want to try them. This means that using the worn effects/hairspray technique, I must use acrylics instead. So before I take the plunge and buy acrylics, which brand and what should I buy along with it to work correctly? I want something that's not such a pain to work with and coats relatively well in a few rather than many coats.

I'm really looking at the Vallejo Air and Tamiya lines but I've heard some nasty things regarding them stopping up the AB. But, I guess liquitex and thinner for them should solve that. I really want something that I can AB inside as going outside results in a massive swarm of mosquitoes that leave me looking like I've been shot and I believe they're acquiring a resistance to bug spray, lol. That means not such a bad smell that it drives everyone outside.

I am ordering from Scalehobbyist.com and I prefer it be around the ~2.39 range like most of their paints. Otherwise, prices aren't a problem.

Any suggestions?

[Shar2]

Welcome to the forums, I'm an ardent enamel user, but recently have been using more and more acrylic on my armoured vehicles, and have found the Lifcolor and AK Interactive paints really easy to use. On my latest build I'll be using a new range of Akan paints which, from what I've seen from other modellers is really easy to get to grips with. I guess it's just a matter of trying different makes and sticking with those you get on with.

[Seafire]

What paints are specific for rust undercoats made by Tamiya? They're easy to find in the Vallejo Model Air group but I won't use them since they don't chip well.

[Will Vale]

I don't know if the underneath (rust) colour particularly needs to be acrylic for hairspray chipping. The topcoat does since that's what's going to get chipped away. I used red-brown lacquer primer from a spraycan, mottled with Alclad I think. Tamiya acrylics on top of that chipped fine.

In terms of what colours to use - look at the rust you want to reproduce and pick or mix something close - it's not important to use a particular paint number.

I guess I should answer the actual question though You could try Tamiya Nato Brown and/or Red Brown. Plus black or a dark grey to mix/mottle the rust layer.

HTH,

Will

[Seafire]

Thank you for your quick response and help.

What would be a good Tamiya mix for the Vallejo Air Camo Black Brown? I like how it looks when people use it as a base to chip with. I guess a small part of black with the flat brown?

[Will Vale]

2:1 red-brown to nato black? I dunno, I just slosh paint around until it looks right to me. The thing with chips is that the colour doesn't matter that much - it just needs to be a good bit darker than the topcoat (for contrast) and not just black or grey (for richness) IMO.

If you're just getting into weathering, have you thought about using sponge chipping before trying hairspray? It's really really easy and you can get great results. Hairspray is more complicated since you have more layers going on.

I did this one applying the top coat with sponges (for an ultra-rough finish) over a sponged rusty layer:

these dudes are the more traditional sponged dark chips over a sprayed topcoat:

and a friend of mine is building an *amazing* ABC Warrior using sponged chipping over a sprayed topcoat here: http://fichtenfoo.net/forum/index.php?topic=7013.0

HTH,

Will

[Seafire]

Thank you again for your answer Will. I've had a little experience with straight hairspray on car models, such as wrecks and stuff. I was planning on using AK effects and I have makeup sponges for the places that I wanted more on but didn't get the first time.